Ernst Barlach was a sculptor, graphic artist and poet. His artistic style can be classed between Realism and Expressionism. Barlach took up mainly religious, but also martial motifs. The main topic of his works is man, the conditions of his life, and his attitude towards life. In his sculptures and drawings, Barlach developed expressive figures with a stocky appearance, reduced to the extreme. He focussed primarily on the lines as well as the representation of the hands and faces. Throughout his oeuvre , Barlach concentrated on making the inner feelings of the represented figures visible.
